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Helsen 22
Designer: Johannes Helsen  ·  Builder: Helsen Yachts (Usa)  ·  First built: 1971
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About the Helsen 22

Designed by Johannes Helsen and first launched in 1971, this compact 22-footer represents an interesting chapter in American small boat building during the fiberglass boom era. Helsen Yachts built these boats with a focus on versatility, incorporating a swing keel design that opens up shallow water cruising opportunities while maintaining respectable sailing performance. The masthead sloop rig and moderate sail area make the Helsen 22 well-suited for coastal cruising and day sailing. With its swing keel configuration, sailors can explore skinny waters and beach the boat when needed, yet still achieve decent upwind performance when the keel is fully deployed. The boat's displacement-to-length ratio suggests a sturdy, seaworthy design rather than a lightweight flyer. At 2,200 pounds with 700 pounds of ballast, the Helsen 22 strikes a reasonable balance between stability and trailerable weight. The relatively low comfort ratio of 10.7 indicates this is primarily a day sailor or weekend cruiser rather than a long-distance voyager, while the capsize screening value suggests adequate stability for protected waters sailing. Hull speed calculations point to respectable performance for coastal exploration and club racing in the right conditions.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 22.00 ft / 6.71 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 19.00 ft / 5.79 m
Beam 8.00 ft / 2.44 m
Max Draft 4.50 ft / 1.37 m
Min Draft 1.16 ft / 0.35 m
Displacement 2,200.00 lb / 998 kg
Ballast 700.00 lb / 318 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 202.00 ft² / 18.77 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Swing Keel
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Johannes Helsen
Builder Helsen Yachts (USA)
First Built 1971
Related Sailboats ["Venture 222" · "Columbia 22" · "South Coast 22" · "Alberg 22" · "Venture 22"]
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Performance Ratios
PHRF Rating PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) is a national racing handicap measured in seconds per nautical mile. Lower values indicate faster boats. Ratings are sourced from US Sailing's national database (median across 60+ regional fleets).
Under 0 — Ultralight racer0–90 — Performance racer90–150 — Cruiser/racer150–210 — Typical cruiserOver 210 — Heavy/slow cruiser
 282
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
 19.15
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
 31.82
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 143.19
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
 10.7
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
 2.46
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 5.84 kn
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
 3.78
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 543.11 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc) Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure. 19.15
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 24.00 ft / 7.32 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 9.50 ft / 2.90 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 20.00 ft / 6.10 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 8.80 ft / 2.68 m
SA Fore 114.00 ft² / 10.59 m²
SA Main 88.00 ft² / 8.18 m²
SA Total (100%) 202.00 ft² / 18.77 m²
Est. Forestay Length 25.81 ft / 7.87 m
How It Compares

vs. Alberg 22, Columbia 22, South Coast 22

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Helsen 22 ★
22.0 ft
Alberg 22
22.0 ft
Columbia 22
22.0 ft
South Coast 22
22.0 ft
LWL
Helsen 22 ★
19.0 ft
Alberg 22
16.0 ft
Columbia 22
20.1 ft
South Coast 22
17.5 ft
Beam
Helsen 22 ★
8.0 ft
Alberg 22
7.0 ft
Columbia 22
7.8 ft
South Coast 22
7.1 ft
Displacement
Helsen 22 ★
2 lbs
Alberg 22
3 lbs
Columbia 22
2 lbs
South Coast 22
1 lbs
Ballast
Helsen 22 ★
700 lbs
Alberg 22
1 lbs
Columbia 22
1 lbs
South Coast 22
505 lbs
Sail Area
Helsen 22 ★
202 sq ft
Alberg 22
236 sq ft
Columbia 22
232 sq ft
South Coast 22
228 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Helsen 22 ★
282 s/nm
Alberg 22
285 s/nm
Columbia 22
269 s/nm
South Coast 22
276 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Helsen 22 ★
19.2
Alberg 22
17.4
Columbia 22
22.0
South Coast 22
24.7
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Helsen 22 ★
31.8 %
Alberg 22
—
Columbia 22
50.0 %
South Coast 22
28.1 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Helsen 22 ★
10.7
Alberg 22
20.8
Columbia 22
10.8
South Coast 22
10.9
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Helsen 22 ★
2.46
Alberg 22
1.90
Columbia 22
2.39
South Coast 22
2.33
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Helsen 22 ★
143
Alberg 22
—
Columbia 22
121
South Coast 22
149
Hull Speed
Helsen 22 ★
5.8 kts
Alberg 22
5.4 kts
Columbia 22
6.0 kts
South Coast 22
5.6 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Helsen 22 ★
3.8
Alberg 22
1.4
Columbia 22
4.6
South Coast 22
4.4
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